Traveling the Enchanted Highway in North Dakota

If you are at all interested in the whimsical, unique and humongous roadside attractions of this great country, then a drive down the amazing Enchanted Highway in North Dakota is a MUST!!

Sumoflam on the Enchanted Highway near Regent, ND

On April 2, 2013, I finally had the opportunity to drive one of the “Bucket List” trips for me in all of my travels across the country. The 32 mile drive features a number of pieces of the amazing artwork of retired Regent, ND school teacher Gary Greff who has taken on this effort in order to keep the small dying town from becoming a ghost town. I hope to have a pretty comprehensive overview of the entire route, including the map below and detailed directions, mileage, photos and even some details about each stop along the way.

The Enchanted Highway – from I-94 near Dickinson to Regent, ND

GEESE IN FLIGHT – STOP #1

To get started you must get to Exit 72 on I-94 east of Dickinson, ND. You most certainly cannot miss the first stop, which is called “Geese in Flight” and has been listed as the largest scrap metal sculpture in the world by the Guinness World Book of Records.

“Geese in Flight” – Stop #1 on Enchanted Highway. Off of I-94, Exit 72Sumoflam at Geese in Flight

“Geese in Flight”, in my opinion, not only has the geese, but the giant backdrop appears to look like a giant eye looking out towards the Enchanted Highway. For my trip south on the Enchanted Highway, this is Mile Point 0 (zero).

The road to Geese in Flight, lined with dozens of metal geese all the way to the top of the hillOne of the dozens of small geese lining the road to Geese in Flight

This piece was erected in 2001 and weighs over 78 tons. The main structure is 154 feet wide and 110 feet tall. The largest goose has a wingspan of 30 feet. On a clear day this structure can be seen from nearly 5 miles away (it was a clear day for us – thank goodness!!). Gary Greff used oil tanks and oil well pipe for the materials to construct this humongous piece of art.

Giant Goose on the Structure – 30 foot wing spanClose up of Geese in FlightGeese in Flight from Google Maps satellite shotView of “Deer Crossing” from “Geese in Flight”, about 3 miles away

DEER CROSSING – STOP #2

The drive from Stop 1 “Geese in Flight” to Stop 2 “Deer Crossing” is about 3.4 miles. As shown above, you can see Deer Crossing and the Enchanted Highway from the top of the “Geese in Flight” hill.

“Deer Crossing” is one of the newer works by Mr. Greff. It was erected in 2002 just a bit south of the small town of Gladstone. The jumping buck is 75 feet tall and 60 feet long. The doe is 50 feet long and 50 feet tall. Mr. Greff used oil well tanks for the material to construct this.

Geese in Flight as seen from Deer Crossing – over 3 miles awayDeer Crossing as seen from Google Map Satellite

GRASSHOPPERS IN THE FIELD – STOP #3

The next stop on the trek south to Regent is “Grasshoppers in the Field”. It is about 12 miles down the road from “Deer Crossing”. You must pass the small — nearly ghost town — of Lefor, ND before the giant grasshoppers appear on the right side of the road.

First sight of “Grasshoppers in the Field” as seen coming south from Lefor, SDGiant Grasshopper

Unlike the first two on the drive, “Grasshoppers in the Field” was a complex set of sculptures. There is one large grasshopper and a couple of smaller ones. As well, Mr. Greff had added large strands of wheat to the sculpture (made of metal of course!!). The design of the grasshoppers was similar to the Balsa Wood animals and insects that can be purchased at hobby shops.

Medium GrasshopperWheat and GrasshopperCloseup of Giant Grasshopper

All of the grasshoppers have stringed lighting so I am assuming they can be lit up at night as well. This work was completed in 1999. The Giant Grasshopper 60 feet long and 40 feet tall. The Medium Grasshopper is 24 feet long and 12 feet tall. Some of the wheat pieces are well over 40 feet tall. Fuel tanks and oil well tanks were the predominant materials used for these pieces.

Sumoflam with Giant GrasshopperGrasshoppers in the Field looking northGrasshoppers in the Field as seen from Google Maps Satellite view

FISHERMAN’S DREAM – STOP #4

Fisherman’s Dream

The next stop on the Enchanted Highway is the newest of Mr. Greff’s creations. Called “Fisherman’s Dream”, this complex and beautiful work is 14.8 miles south of the “Grasshoppers in the Field”. Greff completed this work in 2007. It includes 6 large fish of different sizes including a 60 or 70 foot leaping trout going after a giant dragonfly.

I must say that I was most impressed with this stop more than any of the others. All of them are impressive, but the use of colors, the variety, the complexity of the fish scales and even the use of the small fisherman in the boat was just fabulous.

Continuing south for about 4.5 miles from “Fisherman’s Dream” is the next stop, called “Pheasants on the Prairie”. This is also a quite impressive work of art with a giant rooster and hen and their three chicks.

Pheasant Chicks as seen from the Road

This work was erected between 1996 and 1997. The pheasant rooster weighs over 13,000 pounds and is 70 feet long and over 40 feet tall. The hen weighs 12,000 pounds and is 60 feet long and 35 feet tall. Each of the chicks are about 5000 pounds and are about 20 feet long and 15 feet tall. Greff used pipe and wire mesh to construct these. Ironically, the mesh construction was conducive for numerous birds to build nests in!!

The Hen at Pheasants on the Prairie – over 12,000 pounds of birdThe Rooster at Pheasants on the Prairie weighs over 13,000 pounds is over 40 feet tallChicks looking down – make you feel like you are bird foodSumoflam at Pheasants on the PrairiePheasants on the Prairie as seen from Google Maps satellite view

TEDDY RIDES AGAIN – STOP #6

Teddy Rides Again as seen approaching from the north

The next stop is quite different from most of the others. It is about 2.2 miles south of the “Pheasants on the Prairie” and honors the inventor of the National Park System in the United States. This is more like a giant wire sculpture of Teddy Roosevelt. Erected in 1993 out of well pipes, it is 51 feet tall and weighs over 9000 pounds. This little park also includes a small wooden stage coach being pulled by horses.

Closeup of Teddy RooseveltThe Wooden Horses at “Teddy Rides Again”Another view of the StagecoachSumoflam at Teddy Rides AgainTeddy Rides Again as seen on Google Maps satellite view

THE TIN FAMILY – STOP #7

The Tin Family as seen approaching from the north

The last big stop on the road to Regent is the Tin Family. It is about 3.4 miles south of “Teddy Rides Again” and can be seen for a distance before you get there. This one has a Dad, a Mom and a son. The Dad is 45 feet tall, the Mom is 44 feet tall and the boy is 23 feet tall. Mr. Greff used farm tanks, telephone poles, barbed wire and augers to make these, the first of his sculptures.

Mom and Dad and “Tin Family” Kiosk

As can be seen in the photo above, each of the sites has an informative kiosk that notes the name of the work, notes the names of donors and other information.

Continuing south from the Tin Family about 1.9 miles you pull into the small town of Regent. Though we arrived around lunch time on a Tuesday (April 2), the town was pretty much dead. There was a gas station (and believe me…you better fill up here!!) and a small grocery store. We inquired about cafes and there were two and both were closed. Even the Enchanted Highway Visitor Center was closed. Off season I guess.

Enchanted Highway art in downtown Regent, ND – whirlygigs and moreEnchanted Highway Gift Shop in Regent, ND – closed the day were thereMore Enchanted Highway Scenes in Regent, ND – the bison are all fabricated metalEnd of the Road – Enchanted Castle Hotel in Regent, ND – even has a Drawbridge!!

After filling up with gas, we meandered our way to the end of Main Street to see the Enchanted Castle Hotel, which was apparently built from an old school. We didn’t have time to stop there as we continued to head south.

Enchanted Highway Kiosk

The Enchanted Highway makes for a great diversionary trip, especially if you plan to head south to Mt. Rushmore and the Black Hills. Definitely one of the Dream Places!!

Traci: Like you, I would have loved to have spoken with Gary Greff, the artist. I do hope to get out there again in the next year or two and spend more time in Regent and also perhaps get an opportunity to interview Mr. Greff. I have done this at other places, such as when I visited the Jurustic Park in Wisconsin late last year (see my post at ). These artists always have character (and are typically characters)

Awesome entry! The google satellite images were a nice touch! My dad lives in the neighboring town of Mott and has helped Gary with the Enchanted Highway/Castle projects over the years. Toured the castle last summer, really neat place! Will be really cool when it’s complete.

Nice article about the Enchanted Highway. Regent is my home town and I am proud to call it home. The one item that I would like to address is that Lefor is in North Dakota and not South Dakota. Nice pictures and if you ever get back this way be sure to check out the Castle. Very well proportioned rooms and even a tavern in the lunchroom. Strange to see it as a motel as my parents were the custodians of the Regent Public School for 9 years. Glad to see the buildings put to such good use and not left to rot and fall apart from lack of use.

Sherry: Thanks for the comments and checking it out. Also, thanks for noting the typo on Lefor. It has been changed and corrected. We did want to visit the hotel, but had to scoot to get to Mt. Rushmore. I was a bit disappointed that most of this businesses were closed when we got there on April 2, but, it was probably off season. I will likely get there again and will most certainly plan on a stay at the Enchanted Castle. If I do go, I will certainly make sure to let you know so you can show me some of the other unique places in town!!

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